Republicans are claiming that the stimulus bill contains a provision to build “Chuck Schumer Bridge,” but the funding request was made by Mitch McConnell’s wife in 2020.
For example, here is Tucker Carlson’s Daily Caller pushing the lie:
Biden Relief Package Includes Money For New York’s Seaway International Bridge, A Priority For Chuck Schumer https://t.co/7etDiaMC6m
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 22, 2021
John Bresnahan of Punchbowl News tweeted the real story of “Chuck Schumer Bridge:”
/2 A document obtained by @punchbowlnews shows the funding request actually was made in the spring of 2020. The Seaway International Bridge across the St. Lawrence River is one of the busiest crossing points between the two countries.
— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) February 24, 2021
/4 The Seaway International Bridge Corp., the authority that operates the bridge, went back to the Canadian and American governments for more money. That’s where the $1.5 million request came from, per the document.
— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) February 24, 2021
/5 So the Senate Republicans are bashing Schumer over a funding request that came out of the DOT under Elaine Chao, who is – of course – married to @leadermcconnell.
— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) February 24, 2021
To summarize, Mitch McConnell’s wife requested funding for the bridge when she was Trump’s Transportation Secretary in 2020. The bridge is one of the busiest commerce trafficking points in North America. There is no Chuck Schumer Bridge. Schumer never requested the funding. Republicans are bashing Schumer for a funding request made by Mitch McConnell’s wife when she was working in the Trump administration.
Republicans are frantically trying to paint the stimulus bill as corrupt as a justification for the votes against helping the American people during a pandemic.
Since Democrats have done nothing wrong, Republicans have decided that they will pin their own funding requests on Schumer and give it an ominous name.
The stimulus is overwhelmingly popular, and no matter what falsehoods Republicans cook up, they are on the wrong side of an issue that will almost certainly come back to haunt them.
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Mr. Easley is the founder/managing editor, who is White House Press Pool, and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
